Door-locking device for washers, drying tumblers, and the like



1) THE LIKE Nov. 1, 1927.

. W. O. OLSON noon LOCKING DEVICE FOR WASHERS, DRYING ThmBLERs, AN

Filed March'l8, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 1, 1927. 1,647,713

' W. O, OLSON ING TUMBLERS, AND THE; LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 noon LOCKING DEVICE FOR WASHERS, DRY

Filed March 18, 1924 [21 WM w Patented Nov. 1 1927.

WERNER O. OLSON,

OFEAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY; ASSIGNOR TO ASHER'MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OFIRV'INGTON, NEW JERSEYQJA CORPORATION OF NEW JER- SEY.

DOOR-LOCKING DEVICE FOR WASHERS, DRYING-TUMBLERS, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed March 18, 1 924. SeriaLNo. 700,190.

This inventionirelates to door locking devices and more particularly to devices for locking the doors of washing machines, drying tumblers and other laundry machinery.

It is well known thata number of serious accidents have occurred in connection withthe use of power laundry machinery. owing to the carelessness 0t attendants in opening the doors of the outer casings of such machines while the rotating drum is still in motion, or by the starting of the machinery driving the drum while the door of the outer casing is open and possibly while an attendant is engaged in loading or emptying the machine, and it is one of the objects of this invention to prevent the opening of such doors while he rotatable drum isinmotion, or :not locked against movement.

It is a further object of thisinvention to prevent the starting of the rotatable drum while the outer door is open.

It is a. still further object lot this invention; to interconnect the drive locking means with a door locking device insuch a manner that when the power drive is ineffective the door be opened, and when the door is open the drive locking means cannotbe anything but eilcctive.

Another object of this invention is the interconnection of the manual drive means with the door locking mechanism in such .a.

11111112161 that when the manual drive means is efi cctive the door may be opened,.and when su h manual drive means'is inelieotlvethe door cannot be opened.

For a better comprehension of my invention, 1. have fully describedit inthe following specification which should be CODSlClBI'Gd.

motion with the accompanying drawings, wherein,:

Figure l is a longitudinal section. of a portion of a laundry machine showing the drive mechanism and door locking means of one form of my invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same showin the door in' a locked position.

in an open position. Figure 4 is an enlarged section of the drive locking device taken on the line 44- ot Figure 2. I

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view showin. the worm and the operating handle of the drive locking device.

'ure 3 is a similar view showing the- Figure 6 is a side elevation of the drive .end portion of alaundry machine showing a modified form of locking, device.

Figure 7 is an: end elevation thereof with certainparts showninsection.

Figure 8 is an enlarged section on line 8-8 of Figure 7 showing the drive locking means in an inoperative position and the door locked.

Figuret) is a similar View showing the manual drive means engaged and the door open.

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail.

Figure 11 is a partial section throughthe outer casing of a laundry machine, showing a hinged type of door with the locking means.

Figure 12-. is an,=,elevation of the same, certain parts being: shown in section.

Figure l3'is an-elevation of a portion of the drive end of .the laundry machine show ingv another formot locking device for sliding doors.

Figure 14 is an end. elevation thereof, certain. parts being broken away.

Figure 15 isa section on the line 16-16- of Figure 14, showing; the door in a locked position.

Figure Figure 14 showing the door in opened posit.ion, and

Figure 17 is an enlarged detailed view.

In Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the invention is shown applied to a washing machine. of the power driven type, although it is to be understood that the invention may be ap plied with equal facility to other styles of washing machines and to all of the various rotary laundry machines at present in use, wherein a rotatable drum is mounted within a stationary outer casing and driven by means of a shaft projecting out through an end wall of the stationary casing. The laundry machine shown in thedrawings includes a stationary-outer casing 20, the ends of which are closed by heads '21. Journaledin these heads is a shaft Or trunnions 22 adaptedtov be drivenv by means of a large spur gear 28., and rotatably support within the outer casing, a cylindrical drum 2d within which the clothes or-materials to be treated are placed. In order to gain access to the 16 is a section on the line 1616 or" interior of this idrum,.it is provided with a and this door is reached through a door 26 in the outer casing. In the form of driving mechanism shown, the spur gear 23 1S roe tated by a smaller gear drlven by an electric motor or a counter-shaft having a belt drive ister. The device shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a worm 27 secured to a shaft 28 having a hand wheel 29 at one end thereof. This worm is mounted for adjustment into and out of engagement with the teeth of gear 23. When in engagement with said wheel it locks the drum against rotation by the power means, but provides means to rotate the gear and drum when hand wheel 29 is turned. The shaft 28, carrying the worm 27, maybe mounted in bearings in a forked member 29 hinged at 30 to a bracket 31 secured by any suitable means against the end wall 21 of the outer casing. This bracket 31 has a downwardly and outwardly projecting arm 32, in which is rigidly mounted a vertically extending bolt 33 passing freely through an aperture 34 in the base of the fork 29 and being surrounded by a coil spring 35 compressed between the upperv face of the extension 32 and the bottom of a counterbore in the hole 34, in order to normally press the fork and its worm 27 upward and out of engagement with the gear 23.

Surrounding the hole 34L and integral with the fork is a boss 36 having on its upper surface. a cam face adapted to cooperate with a corresponding cam face on a sleeve 3"? rotatably mounted on the bolt 33 and re tained thereon by the lock nuts 33. Integral with the sleeve 37 is an operating handle 37. by means of which the sleeve can rotated causing the coo aerating cam faces to ride upon each other and force the worm 2'? into engagement with the gear 23, so that upon rotation of the hand wheel 29 the gear 23 and with it the drum 2% will be rotated, at the same time effectually locking the gear 23 against being driven from the source of power, for it is well known that a worm having a small pitch cannot be driven by its corresponding worm wheel. It will therefore be seen that when the attendant desires to gain access to the inner drum, he will shut on the power drive, move the handle 37 to cause the worm 27 to engage the gear 23, and will then rotate the hand .wheel 29 to bring the door 25 in register with the door 26, and he is then perfectly safe to place his arms within the openings normally covered sition in the notch by the doors 25 and 26 without fear of the machine being started accidentally, for the gear is positively locked in place by chine shown, the door 26 is of sheet metal and; is mounted to slide circumferentially on the outer surface of the drum, being maintained in position by means of the guides 39, only one of which is shown. As viewed in Figures 2 and 3, the door opens by being slid upwardly from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3, and there is provided near its edge and parallel to the guide 39 a guard rail 40, formed preferably of angle iron and extending some distance above the surface of the door and having in its outstanding flange near the upper end of the door a notch 41 which is adapted to receive a bar 42 extending horizontally over the edge of the door and being bent downwardly and rigidly fastened to the upper surface of the fork 29, as shown at 43. This bar 42 is so formed that its end rests in the notch 41 when the door is closed and allows the disengagement of the worm 27 from the gear 23, and at the same time prevents any movement of the door because of the engagement of the walls of the notch therewith. However, upon movement of the handle 37 to engage the worm with the gear, the bar 42 is lifted out of the notch e1 to a position where its lowest surface is just above the upper edge. of the guard rail 40 allowing the door to be opened when, and only when, the worm engages the gear, and by the engagement of the under surface of the bar with the top surface of the guard rail pre venting the disengagement of the worm and gear while the door is in an opened position. The two positions of the door and the corresponding positions of the worm are clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3; Figure 2 showing the worm lifted out of engagement with the gear and the bar 42 in po- 41 locking the door closed, while Figure 3 shows the worm engaged with the gear and the bar 42 riding on top of the guard rail 40 and preventing disengagement of the worm and gear.

In order to gain access to the interior of the drum, it is necessary for the attendant to stop the power drive, rotate the handle 38 in order to lock the drum against being driven from the power drive, at which time he unlocks the door and is enabled to open it. If he then observes that the door 25 does not register with the door 26, he may rotate the hand wheel 29 to turn the inner drum and bring the door 25 to the proper osition. While he is engaged in emptying or filling the drum 25, it will not be possible for another attendant to start the machinery and injure him by the rotation of the drum 25.

In Figures 6 to 10 inclusive, there is shown a door locking means associated with another form of manual drive and power drive locking mechanism, but the principle of operation of this modification is substantially the same as in the previous one, and the results obtained are identical. The major parts of this apparatus are the same as in the preceding modification, the inner drum (not shown) being driven by means of the large gear 23. The outer casing 21" is provided with a door 26 sliding in the guides 39. The large gear is enclosed by a guard or housing 45 to which is bolted the smaller housing carrying the manual drive and locking mechanism for the large gear. Suitably fixed to the small housing 46 is a long bearing member 47 having rotatably and slidably mounted therein a shaft 48 provided with a knob 49 at its extreme outer end, and with a crank 50, having a handle 51.

Near the inner end of the shaft 43 is keyed a pinion 50 which is adapted to mesh with the teeth of the gear 23 when the shaft 48 is drawn out to the right until the collar 51 abuts the inner wall of the housing 46, and when in this position rotation of the crank 50 will serve to turn the large gear 23 in order that the inner drum may be rotated to cause its door to register with the door of the outer drum. In a narrow parallel wailed extension 52 of the housing 46 is slidably mounted a locking member 53 normally spring pressed toward the gear 23 by means of a coil spring 54, engaged between the top of the member 53 and the top of the xtension 52, and being provided on its lower end with a single tooth. A lever having a forked portion 55 is pivoted. to the casing at 56 and extends therethrough forming a handle 57. The ends of the fork are rounded as shown at 58 and snugly engage the walls of recesses 59 but in opposite sides of the locking member 53, so that downward pressure upon the handle 57 will .raise the looking member against the action of the spring 54, but immediately upon the release of the handle, the spring will press the locking member 53 downward until it is stopped by a stop pin 60 mounted thereon and sliding in a slot 61 in the wall of the housing extension 52. The lowermost position of the stop member 53 is such that its single tooth 53 may mesh between a pair of teeth on the pinion 50 provided they are in the proper position. By referring to Figure 8, itwill be noted that the locking member 53 and its corresponding toot-h 53 are of such a width as to be engaged by the pinion 50 as it is being moved to the right before the pinion engages the gear 23. By reference to Figures 7 and 10, it will be seen that in the normal position in which the pinion is maintained by the weight of the crank 50, the pinion has one of its teeth exactly opposite the tooth 53, and a direct pull upon the knob 49 will therefore not cause the gear 50 to engage with the locking tooth 53, but a slight rotation of the shaft 48 will be necessary before this can take place. Then it the position of the gear 23 is not such that it will readily mesh with the teeth of the pinion 50 a slight moi 'ement of the crank 50, which is possible owing to the narrowness of the tooth 53 with respect to the tooth spaces of pinion 50, will allow the further movement of the shaft 48 to the right to en gage the teeth of the pinion 50 with the teeth of the gear 23 and also with the single tooth on the locking member 53, thus locking the large against being driven from the power drive. In order that the attendant may operate the crank 50 to rotate the inner drum and cause its door to register with the door of the outer drum, he must simultaneously depress the handle 57 lifting the tooth 53 out of engagement with the pinion, and turn crank 50.

A. door locking device is operatively associated with the manual drive and drive locking mechanism and has mounted for free rotation thereon near the end of the shaft 48 an enlarged hub 62 carrying the vertically extending bar 63, and this hub 62 is maintained against longitudinal movement on the shaft 48 by means of the collars 62 pinned to the shaft. The bar 63 extends through the slot 63 in the housing 46 and is thus maintained against rotation. Extending at right angles to the bar 63 and integral therewith is the horizontal portion 64 extending parallel to and over the edge of the door 26, which is provided with a guard rail 40 similar to that in the previous modifiration except that its position on the door is different, for in the previous modification the locking worm was at the top of the gear 23 in order that the hand wheel 29 would be located in a convenient position. In this modification, the locking mechanism is arranged about 45 down from the top in order that the crank 50 may be in a convenient location, but the door 26 has the same location as the door 26 and slides in the same manner, that is, upwardly, and hence the guard rail 40 musthave its notch 41 quite near the lower end of the door, and the rail 40 must extend down below the door a considerable distance, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

The bar 64 is adapted to engage in the slot 41 and lock the door as in the previous modification when the gear on the shaft 48 is out of mesh with gear 23, and before the door can be opened it is necessary for the attendant to grasp the knob 49, after stop ping the power drive, and slightly rotate the shaft 48 so that the teeth on the pinion 50 can slide into mesh with the locking teeth 53. Then he can mesh the pinion 50" with the gear 23, at which time the end of the bar 64 is sufficiently withdrawn so that it just to the right of the right face of the guard rail 10, as shown in Figure 9, releasing the door which can then be opened. While the door is open, it impossible to disengage the power drive lock, that is, move the pinion 50 from the gear 23, since the end of the bar 6 1 engages the right face of the guard rail 41 and prevents movement of the shaft 48 to the left, and thus the function and operation of this mechanism are quite similar to that in the first modification.

The purpose of having the tooth 5; engage the side of the tooth on the gear 50' in case the shaft 48 is pulled out without being rotated is merely to warn the attend ant to make certain that the power drive is turned off before he attempts to engage the pinion 50 with the gear 23 and is in the nature of an added safety factor, for if he should unthinkingly engage the pinion 50 with the gear 23 while the gear was motion the handle 51 would be rapidly rotated, possibly causing injury.

In Figures 11 and 12, i have shown a manner in which the manual drive and locking mechanisms sh wn in Figures 6 to 10 inciusive, may be applied to that type of machine having a door which is hinged instead of to a sliding door. It will be understood that with the exception of the door all of the parts, including the bar 6st, are the same as in the previous modificatio The door (35 is hinged at 66 and has a step joint 67 to make it water-tight. The bar extends over the upper surface of the door, as shown in Figure 11, when the power lock is inoperative, that is, when the pinion 50 is out of mesh with the gear 23, thus effectually preventing the opening of the door when the drive locking means is disengaged. Upon moving the shaft 18 and with it the bar 6 1 to engage the pinion and the gear, the end of the bar 6 1 just clears the edge of the door so that i may be lifted.

In order to prevent the power drive locking means from being disengaged while the door is open, there is pivoted abou the stud 68 fastened in the end wall of the outer casing a sector-shaped stop member 69 Jyi against the inner face of the eno wall or the outer casing, and this stop member normally pressed outward by means of a leaf spring 70. The door extends slightly over the edge of the end wall of the outer casing, as shown in Figure 12, so that when the door is lifted the stop member 69 follows it and assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 11 so that its right hand face is closely adjacent the end of the bar (i i thus preventing the bar from being pushed to the left and effectually maintaining the power locking device operative, that is, the pinion 50 in engagement with the gear 2" when the door is opened.

Figures 13 to 17 inclusive disclose a further modification of the door locking mechan applied to the same type of manual and gear locking mechanism, as disd in the modification shown in Figures nd 10 inclusive. This type of door lockani m is adaptable to a sliding door type, as shown in Figures 1 and 10. 'lhe pinion 50 is keyed on the shaft 18 slidably; mounted in a bearing M, but beyond the ear 50 there is a plain section of shaf T1 for a purpose hereinafter described.

in Figures 13 and 1 1, a guard rail is mounted on the door and extends a consiueraole distance below the door, as in F ig- The forward end of this guard rail hcwevr, tapered down to the surface of the door as shown at 73 (Fig. .17). Just above and sli tly to the left of the guard rail there is mounted on the surface of the oi a bracket 74% having extending therefrom a horizon al pin 75 slightly above the surface of til?) door and projecting in front of the guard rail and spaced from thetapoi-ed end 78 thereof.

On the edge of the drum beyond the door guide is securely fastened a bearing meml v '78 in which is mounted for rotation a aft 77 having rigidly secured to its outer arm 78 of a length sufficient to reach beyond the shaft 71 and in a posiich that it rests against. the shaft 71 when the pinion 50 is out of engagement with the gear 23, but which will just pass by the end of the shaft 71 when the pinion is in engagement with the gea. At the lower end the arm 78 and extending for- "dly there m is an arcuate shaped eX- ;ion cost. a

i with the shalt. h sufiicient to always be in front of the d of the shaft 71 and form an abutment 'efor throughout the range of movement or the arm 78.

pon the opposite end of the shaft 7 7 there is rigidly fastened a short arm 80 arranged in the line of movement of the guard rail a d having a notch 80 in its freeend 75 when the door is being shown in Figures 1% and 1'7, at time the pin '75 causes rotation of m 78 so that it is clear of the end of the shaft 71 and allows the pinion 50 to be moved out of engagement with the gear 23, as shown in Figure 15. lVhen the pinion is in this position the door cannot be opened, since it is locked by the pin 7 5 engaging in llandofa the slot. 80 of the arm 80, shaft 77 being held against rotation by arm 7 8 engag ng shaft 71 which has moved to the left with the pinion. However, upon withdrawing the shaft 71 by engaging the pinion 50 with the gear 23, the arm 78 may rotate past the end of the shaft 71 under the action of the pin 7 5 and the cam face 73 acting on the lower face of the arm 80 and the door may be opened, the end of arm 80 riding upon the upper surface of the guard rail 72 and maintaining the arcuate extension 79 in front of the end of the shaft 71, thus preventing it from being moved to unlock the gear 23 while the door is open.

Upon the closing of the door, the bar 78 is returned to the position shown in Figure 17 by means of the pin 7 5 engaging in the slot of the arm 80, and when the door is closed, the shaft 71 may be pushed in carrying with it the pinion 50 which is thus disengaged from the gear 23 allowing the power drive to operate the drum.

In each of the modifications, it is desirable to provide means for observing conditions within the outer casing and for the introduction of soap and similar materials without opening the main door 26, which of course necessitates the stopping of the drum, and for this purpose I have provided on the door in each modification a small chute-like member 81 provided with a cover 82 hinged at 83 in order that powdered soap, etc., may be readily introduced into the outer casing while the inner drum is rotating.

From the above description, it will be readily understood that I have provided a novel form of locking mechanism for the door and drive mechanism of laundry machinery, and have so arranged an interlock between these two locking means that one of them is always effective while the other is ineffective, but I desire it to be understood that the modifications shown are only exemplary and that the invention includes other forms and modifications within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, an outer casing having an opening therein, an inner drum mounted for rotation therein, power means to drive the inner drum, manual means to rotate said inner drum and to render said power means ineffective, a closure for said opening, and means-to prevent its opening until said manual drive is effective.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, an outer casing having an opening therein, a movable cover for said opening, an inner drum mounted for rotation within the outer casing, power means to drive said inner drum, manual means to rotate said inner drum and to render said power 11 cans ineffective, and means on said manual means to lock said cover in a closed position when said manual means is ineffective.

8. In a device of the class described, in

combination, anouter casing provided with an opening, a cover for said opening, a drum mounted for rotation in said casing, means to drive said drum, a bar extending over said cover to lock the same closed, an auxiliary drive means, normally inoperative, for said drum, and means to move said bar to unlocked position when said auxiliary drive means is moved to operative position.

4. Apparatus of the character described, including in combination, an outer stationary casing provided with an opening, a door for said opening, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing, a drive shaft for said drum extending outside of said casing, drive means for said drum including a gear on said shaft, means adapted to be moved to engage with the teeth of said gear to lock the same against rotation, a bar movable with said means extending over said door to lock the same shut when said locking means does not engage the gear.

5. Apparatus of the character described, including in combination, an outer stationary casing provided with an opening, a door for said opening, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing, a drive shaft for said drum extending outside of said casing, drive means for said drum including a gear on said shaft, means adapted to be moved to engage with the teeth of said gear to lock the same against rotation, a bar movable with said. means extending over said door to lock" the same shut when said locking means does not engage the gear and to prevent disengagement of said locking means when said door is open.

6. Apparatus of the character described, including in combination, an outer stationary casing provided with an opening, a door for said opening, a guard rail on said door, a slotin said guard rail, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing, a drive shaft for said drum extending outside of said casing, drive means for said drum including a gear on said shaft, a pivoted member, a worm rotatably mounted in said member, a hand wheel to rotate said worm, manual means to move said member to engage said worm with said gear, a bar mounted on said member and resting in said slot in said guard rail to lock the door when said worm is disengaged from said gear.

7. Apparatus of the character described, including in combination, an outer stationary casing provided with an opening, a door for said opening, a guard rail on said door, a slot in said guard rail, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing, a drive shaft for said drum extending outside of said casing, drive means for said drum including a gear on said shaft, a pivoted member, a worm rotatably mounted in said member, a hand wheel to rotate said worm, manual means to move said member to engage said worm with said gear, bar mounted on said member and resting on top of said guard rail to maintain said worm and gear engaged when said door is open.

8. Apparatus of the character described, including in combination, an outer station ary casing provided with an opening, a door for said opening, a guard rail on said door, a slot in said guard rail, a drum rotatably mounted in said casing, a drive shaft for said drum extending outside of said casing, drive means for said drum including a gear on said shaft, a pivoted member, a worm rotatably mounted in said member, a hand wheel to rotate said worm, manual means to move said member to engage said worm with said gear, a bar mounted on said member and resting on top of said guard rail when said door is open to maintain said worm and gear engaged.

9. The combination in a washing machine, of a cylindrical casing; a rotating shaft; a gear wheel on the shaft; a sliding door on the casing; a flange on the door; a pivoted bracket secured to the end of the casing; an arm on the bracket arranged to engage the flange of the door and to be engaged by the flange; a shaft on the bracket; a worm wheel on the shaft arranged to mesh with the gear wheel and to lock it from rotating; a spring for raising the bracket and its worm wheel clear of the gear wheel and to move the arm in position to lock the door; and a cam for depressing the bracket to release the door and to move the worm wheel into engagement with the gear wheel.

10. The combination in a washing ma chine, of a casing; a rotating shaft; a rotor on the shaft located within the casing; a gear wheel on the shaft outside of the casing; a door on the casing; a plate secured to the end of the machine; a bearing pivoted to the plate; a shaft mounted in the bearing; a Worm on the shaft, said shaft having a hand Wheel by which it can be turned; an arm arranged to engage the door of the Washing machine and actuated by the pivoted bearing; a spring tending to raise the bearing; and a handled cam for depressing the bearing to move the worm in engagement with the gear wheel and to release the door.

11. In a machine of the character described, having, in combination, a body, a closure for said body movable into and out of closed position, a movable element in said body, power transmission including a large gear for driving said element, an inching device including a worm adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said gear, said worm when in engagement with said gear serving to lock said power transmission against operation, and an interlocking mechanism including a. pair of stop members, one member being movable with said closure and the other member being movable with said worm into and out of the path of said first mentioned member as said worm is moved respectively out of and into engagement with said gear.

12. In a machine of the character de scribed, in combination, a body having a closure, a movable element in said body, power transmission for said movable element, said transmission including a gear, an inching device including a worm movable into and out of engagement with said gear and means for so moving said worm, and an interlocking mechanism including a pair of stop members one of which is associated with said closure for movement therewith into the path of the other when said closure opened, and the other of which is associated with said last mentioned means for movement into the path of said first mentioned stop member when said worm is moved out of engagement with said gear, said worm serving to lock said gear against movement through said power transmission.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

WERNER O. OLSON. 

